Madness Takes Its Toll
by Manchester
Summary: I know the idea's been used before. However, this comes from the movie, not the stage original version. But listen closely…


Cautiously peeking through the crack of the barely-ajar storage room door, Rupert Giles saw that the school library was totally deserted. The complete silence coming from further on at the front entrance to the outside corridor also indicated his charges in their Halloween costumes and the smaller children they'd been forced to escort around town were now long gone. Satisfied at last that nobody was around to see him, the British Watcher carefully left the storage room, with his wobbling feet finding their balance just as quickly as they'd done a year ago, which was when he'd last worn those bloody high-heeled shoes.

Standing in the middle of the main library, a man dressed in a leather corset, tighty blacks, fishnet stockings, and full transvestite makeup admired himself in a corner mirror. Giles had to admit his yearly weakness was worth it. No matter how many times he swore never to do it again, whenever Halloween came around, he always gave in and once more put on the costume Ethan Rayne had given him decades before for an All-Hallows present. His best friend at the time had heard Ripper complain he couldn't think of any decent outfit to wear to a London party, so Ethan had nipped out and put together a collection of the naughty attire from the movie they'd seen a few months ago, just for a lark.

After giving that sodding nutter a sound thumping just for thinking it'd been such a good idea, Ripper wore the damned thing, anyway. Believe it or not, it'd attracted women like moths to a flame, and he'd had one of the best times of his life. Not to mention accomplishing a personal shagging record that night. The latter had been the real reason why he'd always kept this costume afterwards, and slipped it on once a year, simply to remember the good times.

Giving the mirror a supremely devilish smile, with this wicked expression more than capable of shocking several younger students at this school accustomed to being around an utterly staid, somber Englishman, Rupert Giles started humming a jaunty tune.

At that exact moment in a costume store across the town of Sunnydale, another British native finished chanting, "-JANUS!"

* * *

In the night-time street, Dr. Frank-N-Furter cast a very cold eye at the anarchy taking place around him. Now, ordinarily this sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania, was quite appreciative of whatever disorder and mayhem was at loose in his vicinity, but not when he wasn't responsible for it happening in _his_ bloody manor!

Right, he was going to show everyone why the good doctor was never to be trifled with.

Taking a deep breath, a booming baritone voice then froze in their tracks all the monsters, creatures, demons, and humans running for dear life, who listened in awe to a very familiar song from millions of Midnight Movie shows.

* * *

At the Revello house, several people were in the middle of a heated argument, when it all became pointless. Buffy, Xander, and Willow shuddered in unison for a few moments, and then after recovering, this high-school trio gawked around in sheer incredulity. It was clear they were back to normal, somehow reverting to what they'd been before transforming into the people represented by their Halloween costumes bought at Ethan's earlier.

Angel and Cordelia also stared in complete surprise at their companions. The vampire and the girl in the cat costume hadn't expected this at all, either, and both opened their mouths to demand someone tell them what was going on, right now!

However, at that point, an entirely unexpected uproar coming from the street outside now brought the Slayer and her friends to the front window of the house, to see what was happening out there tonight. They one and all now saw a truly extraordinary sight:

Rupert Giles, dressed in an absolutely mind-boggling costume, was singing at the top of his lungs while dancing in the middle of the street. In turn, this…man was being followed by a horde of costumed Halloween celebrants, each singing along to "Let's Do The Time Warp" while imitating Giles' every dance move.

For the next few minutes, until the entire crowd passed out of sight, the living room was entirely silent. Finally Angel managed, "What the hell was all that about?"

Obviously, this supreme brooder holding multiple championships in moping around had never seen the movie, so he was even further confused when the humans didn't bother answering Angel. Instead, they glanced at each other and then they started singing in perfect synchrony, with also gleefully acting out in the room what they were crooning:

"_You bring your knees in tight.  
__But it's the pelvic thrust  
__That really drives you insane.  
__Let's do the time-warp again.  
__Let's do the time-warp again."  
_

* * *

Author's Note: Happy Halloween!


End file.
